Ragnarok
by Morning8Warrior
Summary: Freelancer was definitely not the only project to attempt to stop the war. To find the 'silver bullet'. But even they wouldn't create it. 7 soldiers join Freelancer, but at a price. Crack and hinted pairings, humor and darkness.
1. Chapter 1

"Has the bay been prepared?"  
"Yes Director" F.I.L.L.S. replied.  
"The pod is safe?"  
"Yes sir" said the technician. "The generator is damaged, no leakis detected."  
"Director, are you sure it is wise to...?"  
"Silence, councilor. FILLS."  
"Cryostasis unit online Director, awaiting your command."  
He walked towards the cryo-pod. "Open it."  
"Opening cryostasis unit 0407."  
The ice began to disappear. The Director was now two metres away from the pod. The door opened and a young woman began to fall out. He stepped forward. She rolled, stood up and as she span him around, wrapped an arm around his neck.  
"Okay, Question 1: Where am I?  
Question 2: Who are you?  
Question 3: What the HECK is going on?  
Oh, and you had better answer quickly, if you want this guy to live."  
"I am the Councilor. That is the Director. You are currently on board the 'Mother of Invention.' We just released you from a failing cryostasis unit. Would you please let him go?"  
"Prove it."  
"Alright FILLS play video file 99452."  
"Affirmative."

The screen on the wall blazed into life. The frigate 'Saviour's Sacrifice' was being attacked by Insurrectionists. The woman let go of the Director, watched as escape pods left the ship. A huge black-purple orb grew in it's center, imploded, and everything inside was vapourised.

"Agent Sunrise I am sorry to inform you that Ragnarök is dead. You are now an agent of Project 'Freelancer'. You will be given a new codename and rank." A white and red armoured person whispered to him and he frowned. "After a medical examination." They glanced at the Director.  
"Aand a three day recovery period," he ground out. Even in full armour, the small person managed to give off an aura of slight smugness. Long suffering, he turned and gestured,"This is Dr Ross. She will explain your situation." he paused, attention diverted before it snapped back to her. "Dismissed."  
'Sunrise' turned and followed Dr Ross out of the room.


	2. Chapter 2

Savior's Sacrifice was failing. Ragnarök had collapsed. The evacuation alarm sounded as the 5 soldiers charged down the deck. "We're never going to make it!" the 'mauve' one thought."White, where's Black?"  
"Clearing the way Dusk."  
"Tell him to stop hunting Innies and get to the pods now. SOLAR! Door!"  
"On it." replied the golden soldier.  
A few seconds later the door opened.  
"Move! Pods! Now!"  
"What about Black?"  
"Looking for someone?" said the figure which came out of the shadows.  
"Vhere've you bin?" The man glanced back at 3 insurrectionist soldiers in various stages of dismemberment.  
"So, playing with your food," the one called White chuckled.  
Black ignored this and said, laconically, "I thought we were heading for the escape pods?"  
"He's right. Let's move" said Dusk.  
They raced down the last corridor as the ship fell apart around them. They stopped in front of the door to the pod bay.  
"Solar?"  
"Ahead of you." She knelt and started fiddling about with the lock.  
"Can you go any faster?"  
"Sorry Dusk, SIR," She ground out as she twisted and manipulated the hologram. "System is not cooperating, SIR. If you could shut up for a few seconds I might be able to concentrate!"  
"Takes too long." Dawn pulled back her fist and, WHAM!, smashed her fist into the central processor. The door opened.  
Everyone scrambled into the escape pod, leaving Solar kneeling by the smashed lock.  
"Or we could just do that and risk locking down the entire system." She walked through the gaping doorway.  
Dusk called out as everyone strapped in, "Sound off!"  
"Dawn here."  
"Black is flying."  
"White reporting."  
"Solar is ready."  
"Lunar is awaiting your command."  
"That's everyone. Firing pod in 3, 2... 1!"


	3. Chapter 3

(They have been floating in space for 4 days, they are bored and things are getting a bit... strange...)

8888

"Okay, I spy with my little eye..."  
"Space."  
"No."  
"Stars."  
"No."  
"You aren't allowed things inside the pod."  
"It's not inside the pod..."  
"Okay, what is it."  
"A UNSC frigate."  
"WHAT! BLAAAAAAAAACK! we've got to wake the others!"  
"Easy, easy, let them sleep, it won't be here for an hour at least."  
"but..."  
"No buts Lunar, let them sleep."  
"Okay, so... what now?"  
"How do you feel about charades?"

8888

(55 minutes later.)

The console lit up as a transmission came through. "This is the 'Mother Of Invention' calling escape pod 8191 of the UNSC frigate 'Saviors Sacrifice', do you read... I repeat..."  
"We read you 'Mother Of Invention', go ahead."  
"Oh, thank you! We thought you were dead! Okay, I'll need you to identify yourself and give us a status report."  
"I am an Agent of Project Ragnarök, Designation 'Black Hole'. Status is green, 6 individuals on board, over."  
"Stand by for ETA in 5 minutes."  
A new voice came on. "Agent 'Black Hole'. Could you please tell me who else is on board?"  
"Agent's Dusk, Dawn, Solar Eclipse, Lunar Eclipse, White Hole and myself are on board. Permission to ask a question, sir."  
"Granted."  
"Who are you?"  
"I am Leonard Church, Director of Project 'Freelancer'. As you know, Project 'Ragnarök' has collapsed, therefore you have been reassigned to Project 'Freelancer'. When you get on board you will be given new code-names and ranked with the other Agents. Is that understood?"  
"Yes sir."  
"Good, over and out."  
He turned round and called out, "LUNAR! Are the others awake yet?"  
A disgruntled Dawn answered, "We are now."  
"Good, because ETA's in 5 minutes."

8888

"Whoa, this place is big." 'Lunar' gasped, looking around the hangar bay.  
"It's no larger than 'Saviour' was." 'Black' said.  
"Her perceptions are probably messed up from being in a confined space for so long," 'White' added.  
"I am right here, you know."  
"Are you the new Agents?" A soldier in peach armour walked towards them.  
"Are we?" asked 'Dawn'.  
Lunar shrugged. "I don't know."  
Then 'Dusk' turned and asked the soldier.  
"If we say yes what happens?"  
"I take you to get your code-name's, then I show you guys around. Afterwards we go to training to figure out where to rank you."  
"Lead the way, um...?" 'White' trailed off.  
"Agent New York, but everyone calls me York."  
"Take us to your leader."  
"Lunar, you are such a dork."  
"HEY! I'm not the one who forced everyone to watch all those old Sci-fi movies."  
Dawn rolled her eyes behind her visor at the sibling jabs between the 'Eclipses'  
"Um, anyway. I'll introduce you to whoever we meet on the way. Any questions? No? Good. Come on."  
They walked off towards the bridge, with some mild whispered bickering.

8888

"Agent Black Hole's new code-name shall be Arizona, White Hole's Wisconsin, Dusk is Agent DC, Dawn's will be Tennessee, Lunar is now Kansas and Solar shall be Arkansas. Is that understood?"  
"Yes sir."  
"Dismissed."  
The now ex-Agents of Project Ragnarök followed York out of the room.  
"Okay thats code names with the Councilor over, meet, greet and beat it time. Who's ready for it? Don't answer that no ones ever ready for it trust me. Okay, where to first? The canteen is as good as any a place to start and it also means that I can introduce you to people."  
They came to a door and stopped.  
"Oh and before I forget, welcome to Project Freelancer."  
He stepped through the door and began introducing them to people in the canteen.  
He gestured to an angry looking blonde in purple and green. "That is Agent South Dakota, she isn't too nice..."  
A deep purple and green clad person came towards them. "Understatement of the year, York. Hello, I'm Agent North Dakota, though everyone calls me North. Ignore York, we all do. York, the Director wants them ranked ASAP so Intros have got to wait."  
"They're lucky." 'North' ignored York's mumbled statement.  
"So, which one of you is Arizona."  
The newly re-designated Agent 'Arizona' stepped forward, towering over him at 6 foot 4. "I am."  
"Okay, you're against me. Better hurry, we were supposed to be in the training room 2 minutes ago."  
They all raced off towards the training rooms.

8888

"You ready?" asked North.  
Arizona shrugged, "As I'll ever be."  
"Good. Lets begin."  
North threw a punch at Arizona's head, who blocked it with his forearm while throwing a punch of his own. He caught North beneath the chin, lifting him off of his feet and throwing him back. As North got up, Arizona charged forward, jumped and planted both feet onto North's chest, sending him flying, before flipping and landing in a crouch. Arizona looked up and saw North helmet-less and spread-eagled on the floor. He picked up the fallen helmet and ran forward, kneeling on North as he tried to get up and began swinging the helmet towards his head.  
Suddenly he stopped and, very disconcertingly, began growling. He then turned North's helmet so the visor faced him.  
Putting the helmet to the side he got off North, who jumped up and backed off warily. Arizona looked at him and said in flat tones,  
"Rounds over. I forfeit." He nodded towards his opponent.  
"Why?"  
The new agent turned and left, ignoring North's question.  
8888

"This is audio log 1. 3 months since I joined the army, I've been nominated for ODST training! (Awesome). Yeah, I hope I get accepted, I mean me, an ODST, (COME ON!) They're the best soldiers in the whole of the UNSC, I mean, just one ODST is meant to be able to take out an ENTIRE platoon of marines. (ON HIS OWN MAN!) Anyway,this is Oliver J. Henkel signing out. Uh, guys, how do you stop the, you know, uh, thing? (The button there, no there, uh, I'll do it.)Oh, right, thanks."


	4. Chapter 4

RVB RAGNAROK Chapter 4

'Fury' the awakening.

POV

A cadet was screaming in pain, bullets flew around me, a smoking blast crater 10m away, the legs, the boys legs were gone, flesh bubbling, burning and smoking, his mouth shattered by the shockwave. A marine flew past ripped open by an assault rifle, the academy was burning, I had failed the objective, but I didn't care, I was Fury, growling, roaring, paying no attention to the devastation. Killing Insurrectionist's that's all that matters, I knew this was a memory, what happened today would plague me for years, NO! This is a memory, but this memory was gone locked away by my friend, but they'd taken him like they took our eyes THEY WILL BURN! NO! Remember memory. I'd somehow lost my helmet but I was still him, us, NO! Gutting an Insurrectionist, running to the burning school I remember, remember must remember, remember what? KILL! KILL! KILL! NO! I am not 'Fury'! Burning, my hair is burning. Burning, burn them YES! BURN! Kicking the door open, cadets bleeding, dying, Insurrectionist. BURN! Dead, throat slit before the door hit the wall, cadets coming out of hiding, shouting, window, get out, jumping into the pond. BURN! BURN! BURN! My team was gone wiped out, they killed them, destroyed my friends. DESTROY! Picking up a rocket launcher, aiming, firing, tank into fireball. FIRE! FIRE! FIRE! Shooting, no targets, shouting, shouting at me, cold, so cold. Ice-fire on our head! DIE! It retreated, back, a cadet holding a fire extinguisher. "Sir, are you alright?"  
Confusion,  
"Sir, we need to go, there's a couple of guys who found a pair of warthogs."  
Sergeant you are Sergeant Vincent Ifflehink Hertz of Echo troop ODST. Take charge soldier!  
I moved picking up my helmet from where it had fallen. Wait fallen? I lost my helmet? REMEMBER! "What's going on soldier?"  
The cadet looked confused. "Don't you know? You saved us, destroying…,"  
DESTROY!  
"Loads of rebels."  
KILL!  
"Get in the hogs."  
"But sir, this man can't be moved.  
I looked at the six survivors, cadets all of them and not one of them uninjured. One had his legs blown off, cauterized as they ripped apart. Taking out my painkillers I gave the cadet a dose, when he stopped screaming, I knocked him out and lifted him into the passenger seat of the cargo hog. After strapping him in I put my helmet on and radioed command. "This is Echo 2 call-sign Fury calling command come in command."  
"We read you Fury, what's your status?"  
"Bad, Echo troop has sustained heavy casualties, mission objective failed, myself and six surviving cadets need immediate evac."  
"Repeat that Fury, what kind of casualties?"  
"Only 6 cadets and myself have survived a couple of cadets are severely injured, we need that evac because I'm sure as hell not waiting for another tank to show up."  
"A TANK! What's happening there?"  
"Echo troop was sent out to stop a skirmish by Insurrectionists on the officers training academy on Atomic but it wasn't a skirmish it was a full on attack sir."  
"Understood, rendezvous co-ordinates being sent to your HUD, get out of there Fury we have Sabers on the way."  
"What?"  
"We can't let that base fall into Innie hands."  
"Roger, Fury out."  
I turned to the cadets. "Rendezvous 10 clicks east of here, follow my lead."  
I jumped into the drivers' seat of the transport hog, full of the most injured, and headed out, 3 cadets in the chain-gun hog following.


	5. Chapter 5

Sunset.

The beginning of the end.

Many years ago…

POV

The pelican landed, finally. I got off with Camile, my twin sister, and followed her towards the men in... suits. Looking around, I saw 8 other people, damn, agents, we weren't people any more, we were soldiers, 8 soldiers moving in pairs like Cam and I. Interesting, so siblings or something. Everyone was one of a pair, a male and a female, 2 males, 2 more males, 2 females, myself and Camile. I looked at the men in suits. Aha! There was the director of this project…. Armageddon? No, Apocalypse? No, Ragnarok? That was it Ragnarok, and his helper…. Whoever he was. The Director and Mr….. What's his face? were talking.  
"Welcome agents. As most of you know I am the Director of Project Ragnarok. You are the individuals selected for this project for your skills, intelligence and stamina. But you are far from perfect; you have been brought here to train to be the defenders of the galaxy, but I look among you and all I see is wasted energy. Like unused Iron ore, I propose to smelt you down and hammer you into blades. Blades unlike anything before seen by man. Mr. Seeley will give you your new armor and designations; we hope you can be of use to the UNSC. Good day." He walked off and the 'helper' walked forwards.  
"You have been given cards with a number upon it. I will say a number and a code-name, if it is your number it is therefore your code-name. 1, Spiral Galaxy, 2, Oval Galaxy, 3, Sunrise, 4, Sunset, 5, Dusk, 6, Dawn, 7, Black Hole, 8, White Hole,  
9, Solar Eclipse, 10, Lunar Eclipse."  
I looked down at my card, number 4, which made me Sunset. Strange codenames. The small Asiatic man was talking again.  
"...You will receive your armor from the Technicians. They will also be giving you a map of the ship along with the rules and regulations of Project Ragnarok. Read them, memorise them. Dismissed." He left.  
I looked at Cam and asked. "What's your code-name?"  
"Sunrise. Yours?"  
"Sunset. Did you notice all the code-names are opposites?"  
"What about Spiral and Oval Galaxies?"  
"Good point." I conceded.  
"Let's go collect our armor, Agent Sunset."  
"Ladies first, Agent Sunrise." I grinned as she walked past me. "But men just before!"  
"Nick!" She shouted as I ran ahead, looking over my shoulder at her laughing figure. I slammed into someone and looked up, and up, at a man with no hair.  
"Watch it kid, you could hurt someone." He said, helping me up off the floor.  
"Sorry, my bad, I'm….. Sunset."  
He smiled and said. "Well done you remembered to give me your code-name, I've seen a lot of recruits mess up." And with that he let go of my hand and walked away.  
"What was that about?" Cam…. DAMN! Sunrise asked me.g


	6. Chapter 6

Insanity ensues.

Back to present

"Hey!" Arizona stopped and waited for Dusk, no, DC, to catch up. "What happened back there?"  
Arizona shrugged and started walking again. DC grabbed his shoulder. "Black, we're worried about you, what happened?"  
"Remember DC, it's not Black, it's Arizona."  
"Stop avoiding the question. Something about what you did scared Da…. Tennessee, I want to know what it was."  
"Where are the others?"  
DC waved his hand dismissively. "I told them to get ready for their training matches. Solar is next."  
"Tell her not to win, and the others."  
"Why?"  
"Just do it, I'll explain it later, elsewhere."  
DC nodded. "Will you explain what happened?"  
"Tell me Dusk, Do you really want to know?"  
"Yes."  
Arizona started walking off.  
"Because the last secret this team had, killed four of us."  
"DC, do you trust me?"  
"How can I trust you?"  
"Good." He walked off, leaving DC standing there, confused.

8888

(After everyone else's training matches.)

Tennessee sat down at the table with a huff. "Well that was fun."  
DC raised his eyebrow questioningly, helmet under the bench. Tennessee removed hers, copying him.  
"We just had to put up a fight and purposefully lose against guys we could take out with one hand." She picked up DC's coffee and took a gulp. DC took the one meant for her.  
"I wouldn't say one handed." Whi-Wisconsin sat next to her.  
"Please," Kansas scoffed, "we've taken down Insurrectionists tougher than these guys."  
"Lunar, Black wouldn't tell us to lose without good reason." Arkansas bit into the bagel she'd snuck off of her sister's tray. Kansas scowled at her.  
"No, I wouldn't." Arizona sat next to DC having, as usual turned up unnoticed. He took the cup of tea that was left on Wisconsin's' tray. "Like I said to DC, I'll tell you, later, but now is not the time."  
"What do they mean by 'Bravo squad'?" Wisconsin asked.  
"It means we're the second best set of soldiers." Tennessee gestured with her brother's coffee before taking another gulp.  
"No one, I mean, NO ONE! Calls me second-best to a bitch in pink." Kansas's eyebrows hid in her fringe, from her anger. "I mean, PINK!"  
"They don't choose their armor color." Tennessee pointed out.  
"Neither did we! None of us are pink!"  
"DC's Mauve and Tennessee has Mauve shoulders." Arkansas took another bite out of her stolen bagel.  
"Yeah! Mauve! Not pink!"  
"She's orchid actually." Wisconsin stirred his tea before looking up. "What?"  
"I hate you."  
"Did you guys say you were Bravo?"  
They all looked up at a man in pale green armor.  
"Um, Yes?" DC confirmed, once he realized no one else would.  
"Cool," the man flopped down next to Kansas, "I'm Puerto Rico, also Bravo team, do you mind if the other two come over?"  
DC balked. "Um…."  
"Great! Rhode, Ska, come on over here." Two soldiers came out of the kitchen, one was six foot in brown and yellow armor with everything but their helmet in MKVI, the second was blue and white, roughly five foot four, with Hayabusa shoulders. The blue one spoke. "Rico, this will have to be quick, I've got rice cooking."  
"Alaska this is the rest of Bravo."  
"Nice to meet you, I apologize but I have to cook." Alaska waved goodbye to them and hurried back to the kitchen.  
"She's nice actually, but don't expect conversation when she's cooking. And this is Rhode Island, he doesn't talk much."  
The brown soldier rolled their ODST helmet up in a 'Oh god' expression.  
Wisconsin started saying. "Maybe if you stop…." He was silenced by Arizona giving him a look. Rhode gestured to the seat on the other side of Arizona, furthest away from Rico.  
"Sure, go ahead."  
They sat down gratefully.  
"So what are your codenames?" Rico asked leaning on the table.  
"I am Arizona," he pointed at the others in turn. "These are DC, Wisconsin, Tennessee, Arkansas and Kansas."  
"Code-nick-name time!" Rico called out cheerfully, chocolate eyes shining. Rhode Island clanked their head off the table.  
"Okay, let's see," Rico rubbed his hands together, "Zone, Wish, Ten, Kan and, drum roll please, Ark!" he pointed at DC. "You don't need one." He crossed his arms and grinned at them.  
"That took less time than the black guy giving us our new codenames." The newly nick-named Ark whispered to 'Wish', Kan nodded.  
"You mean the Councilor? He speaks really slowly and calmly, like this," he coughed and in the voice of the Councilor, said, "Agents, the movie you are about to see is horrifyingly gory, please refrain from puking or running out of the room screaming, as agents York, South and Wyoming will tease you about it for weeks."  
Rhode clunked their head off the table again, while everyone else stared at Rico in astonishment, who proceeded to say;  
"You think that's good, I can do the Director too, listen. Harrumph, Agents of Project Freelancer, I am on the intercom to inform you that I, am sexy, and I know it."  
He began dancing on the bench. Rhode leaned backwards and fell onto the floor with a crash, staring at the ceiling.  
"Is Rhode okay?" Tennessee leaned over the table.  
"Yeah, he does that; he has like, fits or something." He said all this in Tennessee's voice, before following it up with, "I am studying your voice algorithms, please continue." As FILSS.  
"That's some skill you have." Kan patted Rico on the back.  
"I know, right? And the best thing is no one knows!"  
"We could tell them." Wish said smirking, he wouldn't, but... he could.  
"I tried, no one believed me."  
"Why?" Ten put down her cup.  
"Because I said it like York!" He grinned evilly.  
"The guy in peach?"  
"With the black or white highlights?"  
Ark thought for a moment. "White."  
"He's second on the leader-board, lock specialist, pretty good hand-to-hand too."  
"Can you do him?"  
"I can do anyone I've heard." He turned to Ten, "Who were you up against?"  
"The big guy."  
"Maine? Nice," he winced, "Watch this." He turned to the room in general and growled, "South is a crazy bitch who wears her knickers on her head."  
Maine whipped around trying to catch who'd said it while South glared at him.  
"York now," he switched voices, "Lina, you look nice today."  
Carolina looked at the drooling York in confusion, as he slept, face down, on the table. Rico turned to the rest of Bravo. "What do you think?" Rhode thumped him around the back of the head, having snuck around the table.  
"I think Rhode wants you to stop." DC smiled at Rico who was rubbing the back of his head.  
"Yeah, I kind of guessed that."


End file.
